How to Sew an Elastic Waistband

Designer: Marcia Spencer

Instagram: @keechiibstyle

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An elastic waistband is great for beginners or when you want to create an easy wear garment.  There are several techniques to creating an elastic waistband. Follow this tutorial to find out my favorite and most used technique. Note: this tutorial is for waistband only. Completed waistband can be connected to shorts, pants or skirts.

 

 

Materials and Tools Needed:

• ¼ yard woven fabric
• 1” non roll elastic (your waist size + 1 inch)
• Fabric Clips
• OLFA RTY-2DX/MAG 45mm Ergonomic Rotary Cutter
• OLFA 7-Inch SCS-2 Serrated-Edge Stainless Steel Scissors
• OLFA RM-MG 24" X 36" Green Double-Sided, Self-Healing Rotary Mat
• OLFA QR-1x12 1" X 12" Frosted Acrylic Ruler

 

Cut the Fabric Pieces

 

1. Using your OLFA Tools cut a 4 inch wide strip of fabric. Measure your waist, multiply that number by 1.5 and add 1” to get the length of your fabric. (If your fabric is not wide enough you may need to divide your length in two and create a front and back waistband).

 

Sew Waistband

 

2. With right right sides facing fold over waistband matching raw edges. Pin band seam together and stitch with ⅜ seam allowance.

 

 

3. Fold fabric in half lengthwise with wrong sides together. Press to create a crease.

 

 

4. Sew the raw ends of your elastic together overlapping the ends by ½ inch.

 

 

5. Locate the middle points of the elastic and mark with your pen or pencil.

 

 

6. On the wrong side of the waistband match the markings to the fabric

seam and middle front of fabric, with elastic lined up with waistband crease.

 

 

7. Stitch down at seam and pin at middle mark through elastic.

 

 

8. Keeping the elastic at the middle crease and pulling elastic taute to fit, pin waistband and to elastic.

 

 

9. With your machine, sew your first row of topstitching ⅜ from crease through thickness while stretching waistband taute.
10. Repeat step 9 til there is about ⅝ seam allowance left at raw edge.
11. Press band.

 

 

Voila! Your topstitch waistband is complete and ready to connect to your garment.